Least privilege

Least privilege is the security principle that every person, app and account should have only the access needed for its job, and only for as long as it is needed. A new marketing assistant gets the marketing tools, not the payroll system. A contractor's access ends when the contract ends. Administrator rights, which allow installing software and changing settings, are kept for the few people and moments that require them. The benefit is limiting damage: if an account is taken over or someone makes an honest mistake, the harm is contained to what that account could reach. Regular access reviews, where managers confirm who still needs what, help keep least privilege true over time.